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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23651455">Biohazard</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firetrash/pseuds/Firetrash'>Firetrash</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blood and Gore, G-Virus (Resident Evil), Genetic Engineering, Horror, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Major Character Injury, Memory Loss, Minor Character Death, POV Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun, POV Suh Youngho | Johnny, Raccoon City, Secrets, Side KunTen, Umbrella Corporation, Violence, Zombies, jaehyun is a badass, unbetad</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 22:22:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,692</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23651455</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firetrash/pseuds/Firetrash</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jaehyun wakes up in a huge mansion. Johnny opens his eyes in a moving train. Neither of them remembers anything, but it doesn't stop them from going on a mission, that will uncover Umbrella Corporation's secrets and they're own dark past.<br/>Resident Evil AU noone asked for</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung, Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Suh Youngho | Johnny</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Wake up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He wakes up. All he knows is just how cold it is.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He blinks. Cold and white.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He's in the shower. Well, laying down on the shower floor to be exact. Still naked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His head hurts and his eyesight is blurry. It feels like his brain is veiled in thick fog that won't go away. Concentrating is hard, but after a few moments he's finally able to stand up, propping himself up on the wall. There's not even a drop of water left on him. That at least makes it easier to get out, he doesn't need a towel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bathroom is huge. All white, with marble floors and sinks, gold accents splattered here and there, enormous mirror taking up half of the wall. He comes up to one of the sinks - there are two in a row on one side of the bathroom; and finally looks into the mirror. With pale skin, toned torso, defined collarbones and a handsome face he's someone you could be jealous of. Large hand combs back brown locks, before they inevitably fall back on to face off the man in the mirror. His face. The problem is, he doesn't recognise himself. He doesn't remember anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He closes his eyes and breathes. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Concentrate. Think.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He grabs onto a sink to ground himself. He does not remember a damn thing, not even his own name, he is standing naked in a luxurious bathroom, he can't even recognise. He needs more answers. He needs to go out. And probably put something on. So he opens his eyes and scans the bathroom one more time, this time with less awe and more practicality. There is a pile of clothes on a stool beneath the sink he didn't notice earlier. After taking good look at himself one more time he washes his face and puts on said clothes. Time to explore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He opens the door to another vast room. It's already dark outside, so the only source of light comes from the bathroom. Warm glow illuminates only a few objects; queen sized bed with red canopy, wardrobe in  the corner, cabinets near the windows and sturdy, wooden desk on the other side of the room. He takes a step forward and immediately puts his foot away. Somehow, there's a framed photo on the floor, glass shattered. Two faces smiling at him, one of them his own. The other one appears to be a seemly man, probably same age as himself. His smile brings a feeling of familiarity. Before he has a chance to inspect a photograph closer, he feels pain in his foot. One of the pieces pierced his sole. He carefully takes it out and examines the cut. Thankfully, there's not much blood. He has to find some shoes, because god knows what else can be laying around here. He abandons the photo for now and decides to take a look into the wardrobe. Clothes inside seem to be divided in particular way, like there are two people living here. The only pair of shoes he can find are black, combat boots. They have to do for now. As he laces his new found shoes, he keeps looking around the room. There's a piece of paper on the desk that catches his attention. He comes closer and takes it in his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Dear Jaehyun,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Today your dreams will come true. x</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He touches the words. Ink is already dry, doesn't smudge. So it had to be written some time ago. Was it him that wrote it? And if so, for whom? What was he talking about? Or was it the other way around? Who left it for him, was it the man from the photo? Is he still there? Too many questions and noone to answer any of them. Just as he feels like giving, an idea hits him. He grabs a pen and writes those same words below. He looks at his wandwriting. Then at the earlier words. They're different. His letters are smaller, more round. Whoever wrote the original letter had more sweeping handwriting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So the letter was left for him. Probably. At least for now, he will go with it. He's name is Jaehyun. It sounds nice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before he can to dwell on it any longer, a sudden noise breaks him out of his thoughts. A hollow thud comes from somewhere behind bedroom doors, but when he opens them, he's only met with an empty antechamber and a corridor, leading to the spiralling staircase. He doesn't look around, but goes straight into the corridor, eager to find a source of the sound. With only moonlight from floor to ceiling windows illuminating his path, he starts to feel uneasy. There's weird feeling creeping up his spine, like someone's watching him. But before he has a chance to look behind, all hell breaks loose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Things happen too quickly for him to register anything properly. The moment he feels a hand on his shoulder and a sudden burst of adrenaline course through his body, windows shatter. Hand disappears from his shoulder as fast as it appeared. Someone's screaming. Heavy footsteps. Cold wind coming from broken windows makes him shudder. Strong hands grab him and turn around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- What? - Jaehyun asks weakly two black eyes, staring at him eerily. He blinks. Slowly, he realizes it's not the eyes. It's a man in a gas mask, pressing him to the wall and asking abrupt questions, with loud, distorted voice. He's wearing some kind of uniform, with red and white symbol on his bulletproof vest. And there are a lot of people just like him in the hallway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- What's the report? Where's Johnny? - he can finally make out masked man's words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- What raport? I don't know what you're talking about.- Jaehyun manages to say. He sounds unsure to his own ears, voice hoarse and weak. He expects to be yelled at, shaken aggressively or even punched by this scary looking man. But to his surprise, he only steps back and turns to the nearest agent - that's who they are, Jaehyun supposes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Ten, take care of him. Protocol seemed to work.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Sure thing, cap. - is the only thing shorter agent responds, before grabbing Jaehyun's arm and guiding him to the staircase, where the rest of the platoon already followed. He has no other option, but to follow. They are a group of armed man, clearly knowing something about him he doesn't. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Well, that's not that hard, is it?</span>
  </em>
  <span>, sarcastic thought crosses his mind. As they are about to head down, he hears loud scream once again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Would you fucking stop? You're not making it any easier on yourself. - when Jaehyun turns his head, he sees another agent, dragging a cuffed man on the floor. Agent next to him scoffs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Got trouble, Qian?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Shut up, Ten. You could lend me a hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- In your dreams. I have my own baby to take care of. - Jaehyun can hear a mocking tone in Ten's voice, even through the distortion the gas mask causes. He grimaces in response. The other agent, "Qian", makes some dissatisfied sound, but doesn't talk back to Ten anymore. Jaehyun tries to take a closer look at a man on the ground. He can't really see his face, since he keeps his head down, even when agent Qian pulls him up. He has delicate physique, with surprisingly wide shoulders, accentuated by his partially open shirt. Jaehyun casts a look at man's hands, cuffed together in the front and wanders if these were the same hands that grabbed him before. He doesn't have any more time to spare on a mysterious man, when Ten tugs on his arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Come on princess, we don't have a whole day. - Jaehyun shoots him a look, but compiles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They go down the stairs, their steps echoing through the house. When they get to, what Jaehyun can only assume is a ground floor, one of the agents steps ahead the group, opening the door at the end of the staircase for the rest. What lays behind the doors is a surprise; instead of the opulent mansion, it's an industrial train station, filled with tall crates and containers. On the railway waits single wagoned train, with the same red and white logo, that agents have on their uniforms. Under the symbol there's a inscription in big, bold letters - Umbrella Corporation. Agents go straight to the train, taking their masks off. Jaehyun tries to take a closer look, but before he does, someone pushes him inside the wagon. He stumbles a little, but catches himself in the end. The same can't be said about the cuffed man, who's unceremoniously thrown on the floor next to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Off you go! - laughs Ten. When Jaehyun can finally look at his face he is shocked. Ten has the most angelic face he ever seen (or so he thinks, there's really no way to confirm this). His features are soft, and smile wide and cheery.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Stop fooling around and go, start the engine. - a familiar voice says. A man, that Jaehyun assumes is a captain of the team is tall, broad-shouldered and dark skinned. He oozes authority and confidence.  Jaehyun wouldn't want to get under his skin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Sure, cap. - answers Ten, smile still plastered to his face. When he takes his place at the control panel, the rest of the agents enter a wagon. There are five of them, including the capitan. Three man and two woman. As capitan closes the door behind everyone, one of the agents goes to the back of the wagon. Jaehyun watch with interest as a man tries to open wide, metal door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- What's there? - voice next to Jaehyun asks. It's cuffed man, interest apparent on his face. He's pale, but not in an unhealthy way, glowy skin contrasting with jet black hair and dark irises.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Storeroom. - man simply answers. - But it's stuck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Move over, Taeil. I'll take care of it. - another familiar voice says. This time it's the agent Ten called Qian.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Mm. - Taeil easily agrees and moves out the way. Just as Qian gets to the door, train suddenly starts moving. It makes the agent lose his balance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Ten! - he yells.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- What do you want? I'm doing my job, unlike some of us.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Silence. Just open that door Kun. - capitan interferes. Ten smiles triumphantly as Kun gets back on his feet. With some effort, he's finally able to open the door. But in the same moment storeroom is opened, something falls to the ground from the open door, startling everyone. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Not something</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Jaehyun corrects himself, </span>
  <em>
    <span>but someone</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There's a man laying there, unconscious. Muscular and large, probably tall. Slick, brown hair falling on one side of his face, tanned skin, full cheeks and plump lips... That's him. Man from the photo. He seems a little bit older now, but it's surely him. And he makes Jaehyun feel something, this kind of familiarity. He suddenly remembers something.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Holding hands. Guests laughing. Wedding band on his finger. Johnny's smile.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He holds up his hand in awe. Wedding band. How come he didn't notice it earlier? It flickers at him in cold, industrial lighting of the wagon. Like in trans, Jaehyun slides it off his finger. Inside, there's an inscription. PROPERTY OF UMBRELLA CORPORATION. Jaehyun feels a lump growing in his throat. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What does it mean?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>- Johnny? - Jaehyun head snaps back at the word. How does he know the name? He remembered it, just a second ago. One of the female agents is kneeling down and talking to the unconscious man. - Johnny Suh? Agent Suh?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly Johnny's eyes snap open. He takes a shaky breath as his gaze meet Jaehyun's one. Jaehyun feels his chest clutch. He is looking at Johnny.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He is looking at his husband.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Hive</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>- ...Agent Suh?</p><p>World is spinning in all directions and there's nothing to hold onto. Surface under his back seems unstable, he hears people talking. Someone grabs his face and a striking, white light blinds him. He hears a voice again, demanding an answer he does not know.</p><p>- Ouch... - he's able to somehow respond, squeezing his eyes shut immediately after.</p><p>- Vitals are stable. Agent Suh, what's the raport? - when he finally forces himself to open his eyes, he's met with woman's face staring at him from above. When eventually confusion starts wearing off he's able to mutter his answer.</p><p>- I don't know what are you talking about. I don't remember shit.</p><p>- Polite as always - woman sneakers - Capitan, I can confirm, procedure succeeded. - woman looks up at someone - They're memory is wiped.</p><p>- Thank you, Joohyun. - deep voice replies. - Let him be for now.</p><p>Just as said, woman gets up and leaves. He's left staring at the ceiling... of what exactly? Informations start slowly seeping in to his brain. He lays on something hard and cold. He thought it's just an unstable surface, but didn't exactly realised why till now; he can feel uneven vibration from below. He's moving. Or more specifically - he's <em> in </em> something moving. Curiosity starts to get the best of him, so in spite of drilling headache, he forces himself to move. Propping himself on his elbow he looks around. So, he's in a small space with a group of armed people. <em> Interesting. </em> His brain supplies. As he continues to watch his surroundings closely, his eyes land on an unusual pair. On his right, sit two man. They don't wear uniforms or carry guns, like the rest of the company. One of them has handcuffs on and looks at him begrudgingly. The other one is even more unusual. He's only wearing a thin t-shirt and black shorts; paired with high combat boots it really looks ridiculous. And inappropriate for the temperature. He himself, in a jacket, a regular t-shirt and a pair of jeans can feel the cold. He can't imagine how the man feels. Although it seems he has something else on his mind. He has a dazed look on his face, eyes looking at something far away, lips formed into a pout.</p><p>Before he can contemplate any longer on the two man, their vehicle is brought to a stop. One of the agents - another woman - opens the door and goes out.</p><p>- Clear. - she reports.</p><p>- Great. Joohyun you take care of John. Ten takes the other two.</p><p>- Yes, capitan. - a woman from before comes up to him, while one of the agents goes to the pair on his right.</p><p><em> So, Johnny it is </em> he thinks, as the woman escorts him outside. When they get out he can see they're on a underground train station. It's surprisingly spacious, for only holding one railway track. He can't truly take closer look around, as the agents seem to hurry them to the stairs up. There they can see a big hall with a door, that seems to be opened by code. The agent called "capitan" by others steps ahead to open it.</p><p>But as soon as he wants to go any further, a man stands in front of the capitan, cutting off his way to the door; the man with shorts on, that is.</p><p>- What is going on? - his voice is calm and his eyes are shining with determination. Johnny thinks that it's a nice change from that slightly dazed expression he saw on man's face earlier. It doesn't look like he would back off easily. Captain must be thinking the same way, as for a split second, hesitation flashes on his face. But this second of doubt is already enough to assure a man. - I'm not going any further without an explanation.</p><p>- What do you want to know? - capitan gives in.</p><p>- Where are we?</p><p>- This is the Hive - capitan responds - Umbrella Corporation's underground facility. - a man raises his eyebrows with an expectant look on his face. Capitan sighs again - It's the most protected place for the Umbrella, as top secret researches, classified data and high tech labs are all located here. There are only two ways to get to the Hive and one of them leads from the mansion we came from, in the outskirts of Racoon City. And you two - he nods his head in Johnny's direction - were protecting it.</p><p>- How so?</p><p>- You're both special agents trained by Umbrella. You lived in the mansion, like a married couple. That was your cover up.</p><p>- Corporation even hosted your wedding. - one of the agents (<em> Was his name Ten?) </em> chimes in with a wicked smile. But his - apparently - husband doesn't let this distract him.</p><p>- That still doesn't explain why we're here.</p><p>- We received a warning from the Red Queen and we came here to investigate. On our way here we found both of you to ensure the procedure worked. The warning set of the gas emitters - it was meant to wipe off your memory in case of any danger. It was also designed to make you lose your consciousness for about an hour, so a team can arrive. Don't worry, effects will wear off in a few hours. Oh, also we caught this guy snooping around the mansion - capitan points to the cuffed man. - From what we know he's investigative journalist, trying to take Umbrella down. We couldn't risk leaving him there, but we can't kill him neither - at least for now. Kim Doyoung, if I remember correctly?- said journalist only snorts in lieu of the response. Capitan turns back.- Any more questions?</p><p>- And Red Queen is...?</p><p>- AI. She's the one controlling the Hive. - it seems capitan wants to end their conversation here, but the man pushes on.</p><p>- And what was this warning about? You didn't come here without any plan, do you? - it's clear that he won't be dismissed easily. Capitan sighs.</p><p>- No. - there's a short pause before he continues. - We've gotten the raport. It said Red Queen killed everyone in this building.</p><p>- ...What? - man's eyes go wide.</p><p>- We don't know why, but our specialists suspects there's a bug in a system. So we have to turn her off. That's our mission here. Now, are you satisfied? - the man can only nod his head and step aside.</p><p>***</p><p>Way down is long and boring. He might have hoped for a chance to sneak a look at the secrets the Hive holds. But due to the labs overflowing with water, they're forced to take emergency staircase, which looks way too normal. And a lack of distraction is not good for Jaehyun. He can't stop thinking about what capitan told him earlier. No matter how hard he tries, he can't remember anything new. <em> Few hours. You will be back to normal in a few hours </em> he tells himself. Yet again, it doesn't really soothe his nerves. Empty hallways ( <em> staircase, but whatever </em> ), the ubiquitous silence and pure knowledge, that they're surrounded by dead people... Although they haven't seen any yet. All of it already makes the aura of this place hard to endure. Add to this his memory loss and potentially deadly AI they're going against... And you got yourself very anxious Jaehyun. He sighs to himself quietly. <em> Maybe if I remembered anything from my agent training instead this random bits about my cover up, I would feel more secure. </em></p><p>- Hey - he looks up to see no other, but his dear "cover up". Johnny. He slowed down to level his steps with Jaehyun and Ten, but as soon as Ten notices, he takes on the faster pace and leaves both of them behind. <em> Well, that's nice of him... I guess? </em></p><p>- Hi - is all Jaehyun has to say. He's curious what Johnny might want from him, but he waits patiently for his next words.</p><p>- I thought you might be cold. - John stretches his hand out. That's when Jaehyun spots a leather jacket the man is holding onto. He must look really miserable for Johnny to take off his own clothing for him. Or Johnny is just a true gentleman. Either way, it's a nice gesture. And Jaehyun is actually a little bit cold...</p><p>- You don't have to. - he stills tells Johnny. That's the least he can do.</p><p>- I insist. - Johnny's smile is way too nice for the circumstances they're in. So Jaehyun takes the jacket from him.</p><p>In the moment their hands touch, Jaehyun is overtaken by a memory.</p><p>
  <em> Strong hands gripping his hips and thighs. Shaky breath. Johnny on top of him, his body toned and glistening with sweat. He grabs Jaehyun's legs and put them on his arms. He thrusts. Jaehyun moans. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Oh. </em>
</p><p>Flashback ends and yet again, he's faced with Johnny. Only this time fully clothed.</p><p>- So, uh... - Jaehyun starts awkwardly, trying to shake off the memory. - Johnny, right? Do you remember anything? - <em> I sure hope you don't, because that would be awkward. </em></p><p>- It looks like I'm Johnny, yeah. - he laughs a little at Jaehyun's question. - And about the memory thing... No, still nothing. And you, mysterious stranger? - his smile becomes even wider at the end. Jaehyun takes a shuddering breath.</p><p>- No. - he says. - Also nothing. And I'm Jaehyun.</p><p>- Nice to meet you, Jaehyun.</p><p>He can't do anything but smile back. He hears someone clear their throat behind them.</p><p>- Can the two of you go a little bit faster? - the woman who's name he still doesn't know asks. They don't respond, but quicken their steps.</p><p><em> Cover up my ass </em> Jaehyun thinks as he looks at Johnny once again.</p><p>***</p><p>Before he knows it, they reach the end of the stairs. From there they continue their journey through empty halls, all of them ending with doors opened by code, which slowed them down a lot. And Jaehyun clearly isn't the only one thinking about it.</p><p>- Woah, couldn't they just make a whole building of doors? I would have loved that. Just doors.</p><p>- Shut up, Ten. Find yourself something useful to do.</p><p>- But I'm already very useful, my dear Kun. For example, I'm giving interior design tips for the architects. Isn't that wonderful?</p><p>- Isn't it wonderful that I can shoot you in the face and that would make you shut up?</p><p>- You wouldn't dare. You like my face too much.</p><p>- Try me.</p><p>A chance to respond - or sass Kun, both equally possible - is taken away from Ten, as there's something else than a hallway behind the door Taeil just opened. The place is quite dark - there's no way to see the back of the room, sparsely hanging fluorescent lights being the only source of light. There are big wooden containers scattered around. As they go in further, Jaehyun starts to realise, he underestimated the size of this room - if you even can call that something this big. He cannot only see the back of the room, but also either of the walls on the side. If there are any. This place seems to be a labyrinth of wooden crates and some bigger, metal containers. One of them has a small, round glass window in the front. Jaehyun comes a little closer, tring to see what's inside. But before he can step too close there's a hand on his shoulder. He turns back and sees the capitan, looking at him contemplatively.</p><p>- Taeil. - capitan says, as he lets go of Jaehyun's shoulder. - Where exactly are we?</p><p>- On the map it's marked as a Dining Hall B...</p><p>- Well, then the map is shit. - Ten remarks. - Noone is dining here.</p><p>- Is the control room far? - captain ignores Ten's comment.</p><p>- At the end of this hall. We're close.</p><p>- Then he has to stay here. - capitan looks at Doyoung. - We cannot let outsiders into the Red Queen. Ten, you will watch him.</p><p>- Why me? - Ten complaints.</p><p>- It's an order. - Ten sighs as Kun smiles triumphantly. Capitan seems to notice that.</p><p>- And Kun will accompany you. - smile on Kun's face slowly fades away.</p><p>- Of course, capitan. - he responds grimly.</p><p>- The rest of you, hurry. We want to get it over with as quick as possible.</p><p>Taeil leads them through the dark hall. Jaehyun's suspections turns out to be true - this "Dinning Hall" is humongous. It takes them around five minutes of spry march to get to the back of the hall. There are three pairs of door, all of them looking exactly the same like the doors before. But Taeil only hesitates for a second, checking something on his electronic map (Jaehyun still wonders how that thing works) and picking the door in the middle.</p><p>- What are those other doors for? - Joohyun interrupts Taeil as he tries to enter the code. He makes a mistake and has to start over.</p><p>- They would be our alternative way down, if the labs weren't flooded. - he explains. He misses one of the keys again, so the code doesn't go through.</p><p>- Yerim, go help Taeil. - capitan asks one of the girls. <em> Ha </em> , Jaehyun thinks <em> finally, I know your name </em> . It's probably the most stupid thing he could be happy about, but he doesn't care at this point. He needs <em> something </em> to busy his mind with. He hopes he will find it in this room Yerim just opened.</p><p>There's only a control panel with various buttons, monitors and switches in a brightly lit room. Oh, and a huge black door with safe-like protection, with a tiny, glass window. Taeil immediately sits down to the control panel and pulls out something from his pocket. He plugs the thing into one of the outlets and starts typing furiously. Jaehyun observes him in astonishment; it's like watching a hacker in an action movie. He almost expects him to turn back to them with a satisfied smile and "I'm in" on his lips. But instead they wait. And wait. Sequences of number flow through the screen way too fast for it to make sense for anyone other then Taeil. Although Jaehyun does wonder, if they even make sense to him. After a couple of long minutes and a lot of uncomfortable silence, something happens on Taeils face. <em> There it is, this satisfied smile. </em> Jaehyun feels hope rise in his chest.</p><p>- First blockade is down.</p><p>- First one? - Joohyun repeats.</p><p>- Yes. Now four more to go.</p><p>Jaehyun can feel excitement leaving his body. Yerim lets out a loud sigh and Johnny unceremoniously sits down on the floor, murmuring something about 'dying of old age in these dungeons'. <em> Maybe he's not that much of a gentleman. </em></p><p>- How long will it take? - capitan asks. Taeil keeps his eyes glued to the monitor, fingers mercilessly typing on the keyboard.</p><p>- I'm not sure, I don't want to rush things...</p><p>- Maybe rush it this time around. - capitan's words sound impatient.</p><p>- I don't know, if I... - before he has a chance to finish his sentence, the door opens. You could hear a pin drop in the silence that fell upon them. They can see a narrow corridor with glass walls; behind the glass are milliards of tiny diodes. At the end of the corridor are yet another door. Jaehyun sees capitan stepping forward and something sinks in his chest. It doesn't seem right.</p><p>- I assume... - capita starts. - That those four other blockades are for the other door.</p><p>- Probably? - Taeil doesn't sound too sure. - Give me a moment. - He types some more and as his eyes scan through the screen he murmurs - I might have... Miscalculated. It seems ok to go now. The other door doesn't have any extra protection.</p><p>- Mn. You two take the bag and come with me. - capitan turns to the girls. Yerim takes the bag, that Jaehyun previously didn't even notice, from Taeil.</p><p>- That's the equipment that will turn off the Red Queen. - she says as she sees Jaehyun's curious look. - Don't ask me how, it's not my forte.</p><p>- Weird... - Taeil is still looking at something at his screen, so he pays no mind to the three agents entering the corridor. His eyebrows furrow and he starts typing even quicker. - Wait... Wait!</p><p>But it's already too late. In the same moment Taeil screams, heavy black door shuts behind the trio. Jaehyun doesn't think. He's in front of the door in no time, trying to pull them open once more.</p><p>- What's going on?! - Johnny's voice is rough.</p><p>- I don't know, I think I... I think I was tricked.</p><p>- So un-trick yourself and do something with it!</p><p>- I'm trying, I'm trying! There are more blockades, I'm taking them down right now.</p><p>Jaehyun holds on to this hope. He nears his face to the small window and yells.</p><p>- Hold on tight! Taeil is getting you out of there!</p><p>Just as this words fall from his mouth, blood splashes on the glass. <em> Oh no. Please, no. </em></p><p>- Taeil... Hurry up, please. - he's able to stammer out. Through bloodied window his able to see capitan still standing. Jaehyun feels like he's gonna throw up.</p><p>- I'm almost there, please! Just a second!</p><p>Those few seconds it takes for him to turn it off last forever. Jaehyun doesn't dare to move, eyes glued to the back of capitan's head. <em> Just a moment. Hold on. </em></p><p>- Done!- Taeil's triumphant scream sound odd in Jaehyun's ears.</p><p>As the door open they can see capitan standing straight, his back facing them. The moment Jaehyun is about to call out to him he sees weirdly straight trail of blood on his back. Slowly, capitan's back move. Only his back. His upper body slips down in a neat line, leaving just his legs standing.</p><p>His back hits the floor, landing next to the Joohyun an Yerim. Three pairs of bloodshot eyes stare back at Jaehyun. Three pairs of dead eyes.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Red Queen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This one is on the shorter side, but I hope you will still enjoy</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For a moment all of them are silent, staring at the bloodied corpses on the ground. Finally, after a moment that feels like eternity, Taeil breaks the silence with his trembling voice.</p><p>- We need to go. We need to finish what they started.</p><p>- Are you insane? We're not going inside. - Johnny sneered. His face looks just as harsh as his words.</p><p>- We must. - Taeil insisted. - That's what we're here for, we can't - we won't be able to come back without succeeding in this mission.</p><p>- And what about those... Blockades? - Jaehyun gestures vaguely into the <em> other </em> room. He makes sure to keep his eyes on Taeil.</p><p>- They're all down. I'm sure. Earlier that was... - He starts to lose his confidence as he speak.</p><p>- See - Johnny interjects - You say you're sure, but you don't sound like that at all. I'm not risking getting... - he casts a gaze at the people on the floor - sliced.</p><p>Jaehyun flinches at his words. <em> And to think he was so nice to me before... Scared much? </em> But he can't deny his own apprehension - he barely knew these people. He's not even sure about where he belongs in this big puzzle. Although their death - so gruesome and unnecessary - affected him in some kind of way. <em> Don't you feel that way too? </em> He asks Johnny in his thoughts, observing as he leans back against the wall. In contrast, Taeil  moves from his seat in front of control panel and slowly passes Jaehyun at the door, stepping into the corridor. Jaehyun lets his eyes linger on Johnny a little more, but something deep inside him cannot stand the sound of Taeil's steps behind him. It doesn't sit right with his soul. So Jaehyun turns back and follows Taeil. He can see him standing in front of the bodies - in front of his friends, hesitently reaching for a bag Yerim's hand is still holding. How small and vulnerable he looks from behind, his shoulders tense and hands trembling... all of it breaks Jaehyun's heart. He reaches for the bag first. Taeil's head snaps back, agent looking at him with surprise. Instead of saying anything Jaehyun just nods his head with a small smile. It seems to reassure Taeil. Jaehyun takes the bag from woman's hand, trying not to look too closely and Taeil goes to the back of the corridor, with his gun ready, just in case.</p><p>When he opens the next door they can't see anything at first. It's only when Taeil goes in, that red lights start to illuminate the room. It's small, with the only thing in it being a big... something in the center. It's shaped like a cone cut at the tip, but build from blocks of different shapes and sizes.</p><p>- It's her. - Taeil says.</p><p>Red Queen.</p><p>Jaehyun tries to inspect this famous AI a little bit closer, but Taeil stretches his arm in front of him, so he loses his focus. He simply gives the bag to Taeil and observes as the other takes out weirdly big disk from it. It's angular and quite thick, as long as Taeil's arm.</p><p>- What's that? - Jaehyun can't stop himself from asking.</p><p>- This component will reset the system. - Taeil explains. - And turn off the Red Queen.</p><p>
  <b>- I wouldn't do that.</b>
</p><p>Both of them flinch at the voice. It belongs to a girl. And it comes from all the directions.</p><p>- What was that? - Jaehyun is definitely freaked out.</p><p>- It's her. - Taeil calmly tells him. - I already took the power to do anything here from her, so it's her last way of protecting herself.</p><p>- And the voice? - Jaehyun can't stop looking around the room, while Taeil kneels in front of the cone-shaped thing.</p><p>- Jinki gave her a voice of his daughter when he created her. Sweet, little detail. Or creepy, depends how you look at it.</p><p>Jaehyun only nods his head, ignoring an unfamiliar name. The other man starts pressing some buttons on the machinery. Suddenly a slot appears.</p><p>- Bingo. - Taeil smiles to himself.</p><p>
  <b>- All of you are going to die if you do this.</b>
</p><p>- Yeah, sure. Now, prepare yourself, it will cut off power for a bit. - Taeil turns to Jaehyun at the end. He just nods again.</p><p>Taeil places the components in a slot and shuts it back. In the same moment they can hear a click, a darkness falls around them.</p><p>Slowly, in the deafening silence, Jaehyun can hear gentle hum. Another moment passes and red lights start to flicker. Everything is back to normal.</p><p>They go back to Johnny, still ignoring bloody aftermath in the corridor.</p><p>- Thank god. - Johnny sighs with relief when he sees them. - I was starting to think you destroyed something after the lights went out.</p><p>Taeil looks unimpressed.</p><p>- We're done here. Now, let's find the others.</p><p>***</p><p>- Did something happen? - Taeil asks as soon as they see the others. Ten and Kun are standing with their guns ready, talking in hushed voices.</p><p>- We have a crazy person on our hands. - Ten says, holding up his hand. Although a bandage is wrapped around it there's still blood seeping through. Johnny raises his eyebrows. He can see both Taeil and Jaehyun looking in astoundment from Kun to Doyoung and back.</p><p>- ...Who? - Taeil's asks. He seems as confused as Jaehyun is, observing other two man carefully. Johnny doesn't fully understand their shock. He suspects it was just a Doyoung guy, tring to escape. <em> They're probably still in shock from earlier. Both of them shouldn't go in. </em> - he thinks to himself. But then Kun laughs really hard at the sigh of their faces. <em> Well, that's confusing. </em></p><p>- Well, not me. Neither of us, actually. - Kun clarifies.</p><p>- Some crazy bitch came from behind and throw herself on me. - Ten points to his left. There is a bunch of destroyed wooden crates.</p><p>- You found someone alive? - Taeil sounds excited.</p><p>- Well, no longer alive. - Ten clearly doesn't share the same sentiment as him. - After she attacked me, Kun shot her.</p><p>- Why?! - Taeil is clearly agitated. <em> Not surprised. We already had too much death. </em></p><p>- Because she was crazy? There was no way of getting anything across to her. - Ten states matter-of-factly.</p><p>- Maybe she went mad after seeing everyone dead. - Kun adds as he moves closer to the stack of wood, probably to inspect the body.</p><p>- Or from those experiments they were doing here. - Ten snorts. - Seriously, did you see how creepy this place is? I'm glad we get to work in the force and not with some nutjob scientists.</p><p>- Sure. - Taeil sighs. - Let's just get out of here.</p><p>- Are you out of your mind too? - Ten's brows furrow - We can't, we have to wait for the others.</p><p>Silence that follows his sentence is too uncomfortable, even for Johnny.</p><p>- Taeil? - Ten's voice is weary.</p><p>- They're not coming back. - Taeil finally says. - Let's just go.</p><p>Ten is silent. Kun's head turns slowly to look at Taeil. Even Doyoung looks up from his place.</p><p>- Sure. - Ten's voice breaks a tense atmosphere.</p><p>- Ugh, Ten... - Kun's voice is unsure. He's still standing near the broken crates.</p><p>- What?</p><p>- She's not here.</p><p>- What do you mean?</p><p>- The woman from before. She's gone. Look. - He points his gun behind the stack of wood. Ten seems to finally remember his injury and "crazy bitch" that caused it.</p><p>- It's impossible, I saw you shot her, you aimed perfectly. - his voice is strained.</p><p>- Come, see for yourself.</p><p>So Ten does. He stands next to Kun in silence. <em> They sure love their moments of contemplation. </em></p><p>- How... - Ten starts. - What...?</p><p>- I don't know. - Kun looks at Ten attentively. - Should we look for her?</p><p>Ten thinks for a moment. Just as he's about to say something, they all hear a growl.</p><p>- That must be her.</p><p>Both of them turns in a direction of the sound. It didn't came from the left, like Ten originaly pointed to, but from the direction they came from. From their only way up.</p><p>All of them can feel the tension grow as the sound of the steps approaches. Taeil raises his gun along with the other agents.</p><p>Bit by bit, Johnny can make out the shape of a person appearing in the dark. Their posture is crooked and they limp quite visibly. Before they can come any closer a gun fires.</p><p>- What are you doing?! - Taeil shouts.</p><p>- We can't her attack anyone again. - Kun says.</p><p>- You don't even know...</p><p>- Look - Kun interrupts Taeil's distressed clamour with another gunshot.</p><p>Johnny looks at the figure of the presumable attacker. Although Kun's shots didn't miss, they seem to don't bother them. They're still push forward.</p><p>Another growls come from their left.</p><p>- What.. - but Ten is so shocked, he's unable to finish his thought.</p><p>They're everywhere. Growling, drooling and making the most disgusting, guttural sounds, a lot of people start to appear. No, not <em> exactly </em> people. They're more stiff, a lot of them limping or with unnaturally twisted limbs, their arms reaching blindly forward. Most of them are covered in blood, some of them weirdly wet. Their faces are... ghastly. Horrid. They have their mouths opened ajar, eyes white.</p><p>Johnny is terrified. He can feel his heart in his stomach, his throat is suddenly dry. <em> They look like... Walking corpses. </em></p><p>And they get closer and closer.</p><p>A gunshot seems to wake up everyone from trance. And all hell breaks loose.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Run or Die</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>After first shot, a cannonade followed. Someone was screaming. Before a loud noise made Johnny involuntarily close his eyes shut, he could see a dark silhouette stepping in front of the creatures. Metallic sounds of weapons and deafening gunfire drowned gurgling sounds of corpses. All of those make Johnny feel dizzy. He forces himself to take a deep breath. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You're in danger. Focus.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>As he finally pries his eyes open, he's greeted with a sight of Kun aiming at the hoard of corpses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>First two shots do nothing, but make a creature he was aiming at, stumble back a little bit. It's only when the third one hits its head, that the corpse falls down on a ground. But there's no time for celebrating this small victory, as other corpses are crowding around them more and more. In a blink of an eye, something silver flies in front of Johnny. Before he can take a good look, he's distracted by another motion. It's Ten, taking his place beside Kun in fighting those monsters in silent unison.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Where are the others?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He tries to take a look around, but the there's a movement in a corner of his eye. He automatically dodges. A woman - a corpse of a woman to be exact - in a lab coat, loses her balance, almost falling. Johnny knows he doesn't have anymore time to think - he has no weapon, he knows nothing. Panic rises in his stomach. He steps back. There's only one logical thing to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So he runs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He heads toward their previous destination. Where the doors to other parts of the Hive were located.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>There has to be a way out.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He turns around quickly, when he hears a loud bang behind him. There's a zombie right there, with its bared teeth. There's also Taeil, bashing a rifle on its heads, until it drops on the ground, blood splattering everywhere. Without waiting even a second, Taeil starts shooting at the other creatures nearing them. Although he's not looking at Johnny, his shouting is clearly directed at him:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-Go!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Johnny does not intend to argue. So he runs even faster.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He dodges one of the creatures, but it makes him falter a little. Before he can find his footing again, another one is charging on him. In a desperate attempt, he grabs the nearest wooden box - </span>
  <em>
    <span>Thank god, there are so many</span>
  </em>
  <span> - and throws it in zombie's direction, cutting off it's route.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He's pleasantly surprised with the outcome, so he makes the rest of the way to the door, throwing and knocking off crates. Judging by the lack of zombies and Taeil's loud swearing it's a good tactic. Until the last few feet that is.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He slides a heavier crate in a direction of another group of zombies following them, stopping them for long enough for him to reach the door. Taeil however, too focused on the corpses in the back, trips on the box, landing heavy on the ground, just within the reach of the creatures Johnny stopped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- FUCK! - Taeil, quickly whips his gun around and starts aiming at the closest targets. - HELP ME!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- How?! Do you want us both to get eaten alive?! - Johnny feels his blood pressure rise. How is he suppose to help, when he himself is basically helpless. Corpses are already falling around Taeil, making it impossible for him to get to the men.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- At least... - Taeil groans out in a desperate fight for his life - At least open the door!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- I don't know the code, fucker. - Johnny is getting nervous too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taeil only makes some unidentified sound in response. As Johnny is about to believe the group of zombies is already feasting on agent's body, his surprised by the appearance of Kun. His movements are quick and smooth; killing a few remaining zombies near Taeil and helping said man to get up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- You take care of them. - he points to the another wave of corpses, barely contained by Ten alone. - I get the door. - Taeil nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Left one. - Kun only nods in response and they're already separated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kun only shots Johnny one, short glance, as he passes him to get to the door. It makes something weird stir in Johnny's guts, but he has no time to ponder. He focuses on numbers, Kun is typing in. He somehow thinks it's worth knowing. There's a long pause after Kun is done, agent himself looking back to check on the others. Ten and Taeil are now standing almost hand in hand, trying to stop more and more growling, gurgling creatures...</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Click.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Finally. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Johnny could feel the relief washing over him. Taeil turned first to join two of them, but as soon as his eyes landed on them, a scream ripped from his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Watch out!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Johnny instinctively backed away from the spot in front of the door. But Kun wasn't so lucky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Standing with his back to the door, he couldn't notice a mass of hands - so many that they could form one, unified being - emerging from the growing creak. It was already too late for Kun. Pale, blood-covered claws were grabbing anything they could and he was just the nearest thing. As their grip tightened around his body, startling him, he dropped his gun.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Kun! - Ten's voice never sounded so desperate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He throws himself in Kun's direction without any caution. Doors are already halfway opened and with them, Kun is already pulled almost entirely inside. Ten tries to grab Kun with his trembling hands, completely ignoring a wall of zombies sucking him in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He's able to pry one of Kun's arm away, but his pushed back in the same moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Kun! - there's clear distress rolling off Ten. He wants to throw himself back in the chaos, but Kun shouts:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Close the door!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- No...!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Johnny is already typing in the code, in hopes it will close the door back. It does - they can only passively observe as Kun disappears in cluster of dead bodies, as door shuts in front of them. Johnny takes a careful look at Ten. A man - however in shock, is still highly cautious, as he immediately senses his gaze on himself. Their eyes meet and for a second it seems like they're sharing a somber moment in the midst of hell. An illusion is quickly wiped away with grimace on Ten's face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- You... - his eyes narrow - YOU ASSHOLE!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He throws himself on Johnny - but not in the same manner, as he did just moments ago, on Kun. Oh no, Ten wants blood, Johnny can sense that as he's being plaster against the wall and violently shaken by a man hardly reaching his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- YOU KILLED HIM!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe Johnny should feel remorseful. But the only thing he can feel right now is irrational anger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- I saved our lives, you idiot! - he can't stop himself from barking back at Ten.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Guys... - Taeil's voice seem to come from afar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Do you have any idea what have you done?! - Ten is now shaking him violently and something in Johnny is close to snapping.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- GUYS! - Taeil calls out more urgently. - Please, or we </span>
  <em>
    <span>will</span>
  </em>
  <span> die!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taeil is barely holding up on his own. It seems to snap out Ten from his fury, at least a little bit. He leaves Johnny alone and makes his way to the middle door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- What are you doing? - Johnny can't stop himself from asking, resentment still evident in his tone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Avoiding monsters. - he snarls. - We're getting back to the Red Queen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Sure, just hurry! - Taeil is clearly getting impatient.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- So give me a code.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ten listens attentively to string of numbers and types them in. But before the door can open, there's a sound startling all three of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It's a banging coming from the door on the right and a loud voice shouts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Let us in! </span>
  <em>
    <span>Now!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zombies were the last thing Jaehyun was expecting to see when he woke up in the bathroom, mere hours ago. And yet, here he is, fighting for his life. Maybe it would have been logical to go after Johnny and Taeil, after he saw them making their way to the back of the room. But that's not what his mind told him to do and that's how he ended rescuing Doyoung, with zombies breathing down his neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doyoung catches his attention, when he dives in the direction of one of the destroyed crates. While he's rummaging through the wood with his cuffed hands, zombies start to gather around. Jaehyun takes a look around, but Kun and Ten are already backing away, not noticing either him or Doyoung. He looks at the guy again and a terror rips through his body. One of the creatures is crawling to Doyoung, its arms stretched out right before his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun doesn't think, just acts. He pushes the zombie away with a kick, impact greater thanks to the momentum from his run. He bends down and grabs Doyoung's arm, hauling him up.He doesn't have handcuffs on anymore, but there's no time for questions, as zombies are getting closer and closer. Actually, when Jaehyun casts a quick look around, he sees corpses everywhere.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wait.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>To their right he can see a small gap, between two stacks of wooden crates. There's their chance. Without thinking any longer he runs ahead, dragging Doyoung behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At first Jaehyun is set on just going right, to at least know their location. But his plans are changed, as they encounter zombies on their route and have to change directions every second. Even with those challenges, he does not slow down his pace. He can feel how Doyoung is struggling to keep up, as Jaehyun puts more and more effort to not let go of his arm. He also cannot let himself to look back even for a second to check on a man - their life depends on his focus and reflex. So although his lungs are burning and sweat covers all of his body he does not falter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thankfully, after some time the sounds of the fight subdue and zombies become more and more sparse, until they're gone completely. Jaehyun is able to slow down to give Doyoung some rest. He even lets man's arm slip out from his sweaty hand, when they finally stop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun's head is pounding and he still can't catch his breath. He lets his eyes slip shut and puts his hands on his knees. He gives himself a moment to calm his breathing, before he finally looks around. When they ran he thought they went pretty far, but their surrounding looks exactly the same as before. With less zombies, that is. He also has no idea where are they or how to find the others. </span>
  <em>
    <span>If they're even alive.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He shakes his head to chase way unwanted thoughts. If he wants to know what to do he needs to start with basics. He's fine, he didn't even get a scratch in their escape. Now, what about Doyoung. He turns back to check on him, but there's nothing. Just the same dark room all the way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Doyoung? - he calls out. But there's no answer - just unsettling silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He really didn't think it through, did he? He gave a man that - allegedly - wanted to get to the secrets of this facility and organisation, a free access to this place. Dangerous place, on top of that. It's not only an inconvenience for the company Jaehyun (apparently) works for, but also potentially deadly for Doyoung himself. He cannot let this man wonder around here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He traces his steps back, looking carefully around. He didn't just go wherever, right? He's suppose to be an investigative journalist, for god's sake, he can't just... Do thing randomly. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Or does he?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, between those large, metal containers, something catches Jaehyun's attention. A light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he steps closer he can see there's a door, light trickling from the creak. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Well, at least it's not one of those electronic ones, opening only with a code.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He slowly opens a door a little bit more, carefully looking inside. Inside, he can see another empty, dark hallway (</span>
  <em>
    <span>how surprising</span>
  </em>
  <span>) ending with double doors, like those in hospitals. After he focuses his eyes a little more, he can also make out another door on the right. Jaehyun truly hopes Doyoung picked the main door, because they don't really have time for trips around the Hive. So he takes his chance and makes his way to the door, trying to forget what happened the last time when he was so set on exploring. He pushes the door open, ready to run if necessary, but he’s greeted with silence once more. It looks like weird combination of storage room and a lab. There are rows of metal cages - small ones, similar to those for a cat or a dog, stacked on top of one another. What's even more grim is that, the cages are empty, but not because that was their original state or because someone opened them. No, the bars were ripped out from inside out. It makes Jaehyun shiver; he doesn't want to meet those things that lived there. ho knows, they may even be worse than zombies and if so, he does not intend to find out. He looks around a little more - there are also closed off cabinets on both sides of the room and at the end there's a window overlooking some kind of operating room - again reminding him of the hospital.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>At least this place is smaller than the previous one.</span>
  </em>
  <span> It's a pointless attempt to cheer himself up. He can't see Doyoung anywhere and he doubts the guy would hide in that kind of place. And Jaehyun himself, doesn't want to spend there anymore time. But as he's about to turn back an try out the other door he hears something. He can't tell what that was exactly, but he can't leave this alone. With a resigned sight, Jaehyun walks deeper into the room to investigate. The sound appears again. This time it's closer and it sounds like something tapping on the metal. He walks around quietly, constantly on a look out. But he arrives at the other end of the room, near the window - now he can see there are doors to the operation room - and the sound disappears completely. There's also no one there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which is why, Jaehyun is shocked when he turns back and see a dog standing before him. Not a normal dog tho. It's a doberman, all covered in blood, one of its sides completely ripped off, showing bare ribs. Dog's eyes are hollow and its mouth is foaming. With dread Jaehyun realises - it's a zombie dog. Concept so ridiculous and yet so terrifying, when standing right in front of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This dog also doesn't want to stand there any longer - it charges towards Jaehyun without any warning. The only thing he can do, being cut off from the door and still defenceless, is to hide. So without thinking, he opens the operation room door and shuts it right before the dog.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun does not think it could be any worse, but he's proven wrong when he hears a growl behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he turns around a pair of empty, white eyes stare at him.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Fight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for the late update, I had an exam last week, so there was no time for zombies :( Also, I realised I have to make this fic a little longer, so there will be 9 chapters in the end!<br/>So stream Punch and enjoy &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It seems like the time has slowed down, as his body acts on its own. With his hands still on the door, he jumps up, his left leg going straight into zombie's deformed face. The sound his boot makes when it meets its decaying face is horrific - a mix of bones crushing with a loud crunch and skin splashing around. Nevertheless, Jaehyun pushes through and with the remains of his strength he straightens his leg. The impact sends the creature back with so much force, it crashes into the glass cabinet behind it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun lands lightly on the ground, his eyes never leaving the corpse, waiting for the slightest movement to occur. He takes a shaky breath, adrenaline pumping through his veins. It seems like an eternity passed, before he finally dared to take a step closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The zombie is lying motionless on the ground, glass shattered around it. Actually, when Jaehyun takes a closer look, he can see that one of the sharp fragments pierced right through zombie's head, its sharp edge poking from, now shallow eye socket.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ew.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He shakes his head to chase away a gruesome image from his head, focusing on the rest of zombie's body instead, in hopes of finding something useful. He's not disappointed. The corpse is wearing something akin to the security, or police uniform and right there, on its belt there's a gun. He takes a careful step forward and reaches out, eyes fixated on the body. In a beat of a heart he snaches a gun. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The grip he has on a cold metal feels familiar. It brings him weird calmness. And memories.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>All kinds of weapons arranged neatly in a dark room. Ache in his muscles and blisters on his hands.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"You're both special agents trained by Umbrella."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He looks up at Johnny after they're finished with sparring. He can see a slight smile on his lips.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>- I'll go check the field today, you go shower.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>- Nah, I can handle it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Shooting range. Metallic sounds and a smell of gunpowder.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>- Great work Jung! Your aim is getting better every time we meet.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Although those scraps of memories don't make sense to him yet, it brings him comfort. Maybe he can relax a little, he got this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Or not. As he feels the tension leave his body, there's sudden noise on his right, where a glass window is. Or rather one-way mirror, as he can see now. The noise repeat and he can see glass shaking violently. Jaehyun immediately jumps on his feet, his training taking over him once more. This time he anticipates the noise. What he doesn't expect is to glass to shatter the moment something hits it for the third time. The thing being the same zombie dog Jaehyun hid from. There's no chance for him to aim properly in this cramped space with a cascade of glass shards blocking his vision. So he does the next logical thing and gets runs out the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The moment he steps out, he's greeted with even worse scenario. Around the door gathered, with growls that make his blood run cold, five other zombie-like dogs. He's left with no choice but to fight. It's practically mindless, automatic, how his arm goes up and shots the closest dog straight in the head. Immediately after, the dogs synchronously move towards him. Jaehyun is forced to throw himself to the right, where cabinets stand. When his side hits the cold metal he uses the impact to jump over the first dog in the group. As he lands a little to the groups right, he's able to aim the the last dog of the pack, shooting it between the eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Three left. He runs between the cages. He grabs the nearest one and with some effort, tosses it behind. He spins as he hears the cage hit the ground. The first dog that gets stopped by the obstacle gets shot immediately. The next one is quicker, jumping above the cage and his mates body, straight at Jaehyun. He doges swiftly, but gets distracted when he hears the other dog growling. He quickly realises he's stuck between two dogs.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Shit, shit, shit.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He has no time to think as both animals lunge forward. He spins and throws his back on the stack of cages. As both dogs are forced to slow down, since their target changed direction, Jaehyun uses this moment to shoot at one of the dogs. He hits the target as he falls down with cages around him. It makes the last dog unable to reach him, as it tries to get to Jaehyun trough the fallen cages. He scrambles to stand up, his body in so much pain, he accidentally loses his grip on a gun. When the dog attacks again he bends a little backwards and when the creature is mid-jump he lands a punch on dogs ribcage with the remnants of his strength. It sends the dog flying to the other side of the room. Before it can spring back to action Jaehyun fishes out the gun from the mess on the ground and kills the zombie-dog with a final headshot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He finally breaths out with relief. He secures the gun and tucks it behind his shorts, making sure it won't fall out. He tries to loosen up the tension in his shoulders, but with no result. He needs to stay focused if he wants to find Doyoung. Right, Doyoung. He probably went through the other door then...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Jaehyun is about to head out he hears another growl behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Ah. - he sighs. - I forgot about you.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turns to see the last dog standing in front of a broken window. It doesn't wait for Jaehyun to reach for his gun, but gets to him in span of seconds, jumping on him with its foamed mouth open wide. Jaehyun is again left with a strenght of his bare hands. He grabs dogs sides when it's close enough and flips on the ground, in time to avoid its bite. Zombie-dog lands on its left side, but as Jaehyun is about to retract his hands, his right hand gets stuck between its bare ribs, blood all over it. He pays it no mind and presses dog's head to the floor with his boot. He desperately tries to reach for the gun with his left hand as the creature beneath struggles. When it makes a particularly strong attempt at getting away, idea presents itself to Jaehyun. He uses his stuck hand to press the dog harder to the floor, crushing its ribs in the proces. It clearly causes the dog a lot of pain, as it tenses its muscles with a frightening growl. Jaehyun lights up his grip and backs off a little as if he tries get his hand out. Dog senses the occasion and despite Jaehyun's boot still on its head, tries to attack. Jaehyun anticipates it. He uses this moment to press all of his body weight onto the dog and reaches out deeper into the dogs body with his right hand, using even more force then before. He fights his disgust when he feels... things squishing between his fingers. He also ignores pity rising in his heart at dog's pained squeal. He takes advantage of the helplessness of the zombie in this moment and finally pulls out a gun. His left hand trembles a little - it's not his dominant hand - but he still aims perfectly, shooting dog right in the head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He waits, but there's no signs of life from the creature. He's finally able to pull out his hand from its insides, grimacing at the wet squelch it makes. Actually, the scene itself makes him nauseous, so he stands up and quickly moves in the direction of the entrance. But before he leaves, he tosses now useless gun on the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I can take care of myself.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The last thing he expects this place to have is an open office space. And yet. After another series of corridors Jaehyun finds himself in a regular office.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, maybe not so regular. It looks like people working here left in a hurry, leaving the mess behind. Papers are scattered around the ground, chairs fallen over. He is quite sure sure he can also hear the sound of jammed copier. Actually, when he focus a little more he thinks he can also hear some rustling. He prepares himself in case it would be another zombie - he grabs a weirdly shaped glass paperweight with sharp edges and quietly sneak around the empty office. There's some kind of a partition wall to his left. He carefully looks behind it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking through the papers on one of the desk is no other the Doyoung. It would probably make Jaehyun relax and maybe even call out to the men, but what he sees behind Doyoung stops him from it. There's a woman slowly hobbling in his direction. What's worst Doyoung is so focused on a task at hand that he cannot see the zombie approaching. Jaehyun has an idea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He bends down and crawls closer to both of them, making sure he stays unnoticed. He stops only two desks away, when the woman is only few steps away from Doyoung. He waits for a right moment and when when it comes he throws uses a nearby chair as a distraction. He makes sure to slide it down the opposite way Doyoung is standing. As it hits the wall with a loud bang, he prepares himself to throw himself on a woman when she turns. But instead the zombie it is Doyoung who turns to the source of the noise, while the woman extends her arms and attacks confused guy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That wasn't in the plan. Jaehyun thinks to himself as he lunges forward. Doyoung and the woman are now struggling on the desk, to occupied with the fight to notice him. He takes a big swing and hits the zombie in the head with a sharp edge of the paperweight. Woman's body goes lax and falls to the side from the impact. As she ends up on the floor, Jaehyun is met with Doyoung's pale face and wide eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Good timing. - he says. Jaehyun blinks at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Uh. Thanks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both of them look at the body on the ground. Jaehyun bends down and grabs a bloodied paperweight - just in case - as Doyoung leans over the body. He grabs the zombie by the arm and turn her over. Until now, Jaehyun didn't have time to look at her closer. She's a young woman, probably in her early twenties, petite and, as her almost untouched face suggest, really pretty. When she was alive. But for Jaehyun there's something else in her. This strange feeling of familiarity he already felt today. He knew her. When he lets his mind relax, a memory comes.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>- I know how to pass security. I'll give you the codes.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>- Can I trust you? - a woman asks hesitantly, shivering from cold.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>- I'm afraid you don't have a choice. - Jaehyun sighs.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>- ...Oh god. - Jaehyun looks up to see pained expression on Doyoung's face. His lips are trembling, eyes even wider the before, if that's even humanly possible. He's in shambles. Jaehyun realises he's not the only one that knew the woman. He kneels next to Doyoung and in an attempt to calm him down, carefully pats his arm. Doyoung turns to him with opened mouth like he's trying to say something, but words won't come out of his mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- It's okay. - Jaehyun assures him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It breaks Doyoung down. There's no way to stop the stream of his tears now and Jaehyun can't do anything. He just sits there beside this stranger, holding his arm in silence. After some time passes Doyoung is able to calm himself down. He takes a few deep breaths and gets up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- We should go. - his voice is still slightly hoarse from crying. - I think I know how to get out of here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Sure. - Jaehyun decides to not question this and follow Doyoung. It the end this man might have more to do with this place then he was led to believe.</span>
  <em>
    <span> And what can I lose anyway?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>As they sneak around the office, Doyoung leads them to another corridor. As they travel in silence Jaehyun cannot stop his curiosity. If he won't question Doyoung's knowledge of the Hive, then he can at least ask other questions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Who is she? - Jaehyun looks at Doyoung with hardly concealed interest. "She" in question obvious to both of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- She is... - Doyoung's voice trails off. He sighs and tries again, voice strained. - She </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> my sister.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Oh... - Jaehyun doesn't really know what to say. He wishes he could somehow help, say something meaningful. - I'm sorry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doyoung gives him joyless smile and continues talking in a hushed tone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- You know... I should be the one apologizing. - Jaehyun gives him a puzzled look, so he clarifies. - Not to you. To Lisa. It's my fault she ended up like - Doyoung vaguely gestures around the empty hallway - ...this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- How so?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- I was the one that pressured her to work for Umbrella. - Jaehyun's eyes open wide in surprise. That's... unexpected.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Don't look at me like that. - Doyoung nags, but there's no malice in his voice. - I was... very invested in my work. To say the least. See, there was always something, just, wrong with Umbrella. They are the biggest corporation in our country, branching out to every business, just getting bigger and bigger... And more invincible. It seemed like every weird thing, every inconsistency was being overlooked. By everyone. Like no one cared. You know, there was this accident, just few months ago. - as he talks more a fire burns bright in Doyoung's eyes, passion evident on his face - A helicopter crash. Authorities said it was investigated by some special team and some shit about this information being classified. But it was so... Suspicious. Nothing added up. The case simmered down, no official statement, no response to the continuous questions - did someone get hurt? Whose helicopter was it? Military? A private one? Rumors said it was Umbrella's, but with no confirmation... And it's just one of the numerous cases! - Doyoung gradually raises his voice. - The train derailment? What was that about? I had to know, there's no way... Jaehyun, there's no way it was just normal company. Something was going on and there have to be consequences.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun is surprised, both by Doyoung's boldness and being talked to directly. He feels honored.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- So what happened? - he asks softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- There was no way for me to get into the corporation. - Doyoung looks around, as corridor here has a few different turns. - They knew of me and they knew I wanted to expose their wrongdoings to the world. So I had to ask for help. My younger sister has... had a different last name. I suspected they didn't care enough for any background checks - I was just another journalist, what can I do - so I asked for help. And she agreed. She worked here for just few months, when she contacted me saying she found someone willing to help. They apparently could get us in to show us Umbrella's secret. And to get a proof.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun's heart stopped for a moment. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Is it possible? Was that him?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- What happened then? - Jaehyun asks with lump in his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- I don't know. We were suppose to meet near the secret entrance - your mansion, but she never appeared. You know the rest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun only nods his head. There's so much here to unpack, he doesn't even know where to start. But the universe isn't kind enough to give him a chance to try, as he hears Doyoung's faint "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh no</span>
  </em>
  <span>".</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looks up to see zombies emerging from one of the hallways.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Shit. Run! - Jaehyun grabs Doyoung's arm again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Straight ahead! - is the only thing he needs before he runs for his life. Again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He remembers the damn paperweight he's still holding onto and throws it behind them in hopes of slowing down the hoard. They run to the end of the corridor, when it left. Behind the turn they're met with a door. The ones you need a code to open.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Oh no... - Doyoung's voice breaks again. He looks behind them. - No...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But the they hear a voice. A filiar one. It's Taeil. His screaming something. Jaehyun doesn't waste time it getting to the door - zombies are getting closer and closer. He bangs his fists on the door and shouts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Let us in! </span>
  <em>
    <span>Now!</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Explanations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Long time no see! I guess the updates now will be slower.<br/>So... Happy Pride Month! Stay safe and remember - the first pirde was a riot.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Shouting repeats once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Help!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Johnny immediately recognises this voice, even if he only heard it a handful of times since he woke up. It's Jaehyun. He looks between Ten and Taeil, but both men are helpless. Ten already opened the door to the Red Queen chamber and Taeil is stuck fending off zombies. He feels frustration growing inside him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- It's Jaehyun! - he repeats his earlier thought aloud. -We need to open the door. - he look at Ten, hoping the other man would understand. But even as banging on the door continues and the voice behind it grows more and more desperate, Ten doesn't move.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Ten! - Johnny's voice is harsher now. - Please, open the door!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Ten looks back at him, a shiver runs up Johnny's spine. For a moment he forgets about all of the chaos around them, bloodthirsty zombies and even Jaehyun's desperate screams. All there he can see, are Ten's eyes, fierce and full of resentment. They remind him of something. And it's not something nice. What pulls him out of his thoughts is Taeil's voice, loud and clear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Get inside!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- But... - Johnny wants to protest, but Taeil cuts him off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- I'll open the door! Now, get inside and prepare to close the door behind us!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Johnny doesn't have to be told twice. He gets into the room with Ten, who seems to already regained his composure. They both turn their eyes to Taeil. Johnny with curiosity and Ten with concern.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taeil is fast. Johnny now can fully understand how he became an agent; it's not only for his brains or even the technological knowledge. With skillful movements he approaches the other door - where (</span>
  <em>
    <span>Thank god</span>
  </em>
  <span>) Jaehyun's calling still hasn't stopped. With one hand still on the riffle, shooting at zombies, he reaches out to put in the code. His fingers are fast and smooth; nothing like Taeil from before. Johnny could wonder about this change, but instead he focused on the door, sliding open. He breathes out with relief when he sees Jaehyun - splattered with blood and breathless, but still well and alive. Right after Jaehyun, Doyoung also gets out the door. Taeil point both of them in the direction of Johnny and Ten.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Get in there! - he commands. He himself stays in front of the door for few more seconds shooting at - Johnny can only assume - other zombies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taeil, come on! - Ten rushes him after Jaehyun and Doyoung get to them. Taeil's focus on the new horde of undead, made the zombies previously kept at the safe distance, get too close to them. - Taeil! - Ten repeats again with distress.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His desperate tone seems to work, as Taeil finally gets into the room with them with zombies right there, few steps behind him. Ten shuts the door in the same moment as one of the creatures reaches out for Taeil. Slide of the door seems way too slow for the hoard nearing the entrance, but just as Johnny is about to panic the doors shuts, cutting off monster's arm in the proces. A lonely limb falls on the ground with a gross smack, splattering some blood around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Johnny lets out a breath, he didn't realised he was holding. When he takes a look around the group he can see the same relief on other faces. For a small moment they just stand them in silence, listening to the rythmic thumping on the door. But peace in this place can't last forever and Johnny knows - all of them know - they can't rest on their laurels now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first one to speak is Ten.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Wonderful. - he's able to croak out, after clearing his throat. Johnny supposes it was meant to be one of his snarky remarks, he already heard plenty of on this... journey. But Ten's voice clearly lacks the same edge it had before. Although it doesn't stop him from trying to maintain the unbothered facade. - Now, can anybody tell me what the hell was that?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Part of Johnny really wants to unload his frustration onto Ten right now with some kind of sarcastic answer. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ugh, I don't know, maybe fucking zombies?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>His thoughts must have been apparent on his face, because before he has a chance to even open his mouths, Taeil - their newly discovered mediator - steps in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- I can't answer that, but.. - he raises a bag he was holding onto since the left this room - I know who can.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Sure. Let's hurry then. - Ten casts a look behind. - This door won't stop them forever.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Actually... - Taeil tries to object.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Don't care. Let's move.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Sure. - Taeil sighs. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I guess Ten is getting back to himself. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Johnny can't stop himself from a little grumble of discontent as the agent passes him. To distract himself from Ten he turns his eyes to Jaehyun. He surely went through... something. Johnny noticed blood on him earlier, but only now he can see that it's more than a few splotches on his shirt. One of his hands is covered in, now dried, blood. Johnny wonders what happened to him and Doyoung, for Doyoung to look this normal and for Jaehyun to look so rough. He just hopes that if there was a fight Jaehyun didn't get hurt. He's about to ask him that, but Jaehyun turns away from him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Ten? - he calls out with a worried voice. Johnny is confused until he follows Jaehyun's eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ten is standing frozen in place, just in front of the entrance to the corridor. The one where the captain and the other died.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Ten… - Taeil echoes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- What… - Ten appears to be in such a deep state of shock, he struggles to form a coherent sentence. - What happened?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Her. - Taeil averts Ten’s attention from the bodies by pointing to the bag he holds. - She was... smarter than me. - he admits. - She wanted to stop us…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Enough. - Ten stops Taeil before he can get any further in his explanations. - Let’s just… - he turns his eyes to the corridor again. - Let’s go and get some answers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taeil nods his head in agreement, but Ten doesn’t see that. He fixes his eyes on the room on the other side and takes the first step to get there. Slowly others follow. First Taeil, then Jaehyun. Doyoung looks back hesitantly at Johnny, before he decides to follow others as well. Johnny thinks he looks even paler now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he gets into this forsaken corridor, he lets his mind wonder - anything, not to look at the scene, right there at his feet. He thinks about Ten and Taeil, and the weird dynamic that’s started to form between them. Since now they lack the guidance of their capitan - </span>
  <em>
    <span>don’t look down, don’t look down</span>
  </em>
  <span> - one of them should establish a leadership. And at first Johnny thought that the one would be Taeil - he acted more level headed and took the initiative earlier… That is, before Ten started bossing around. Johnny assumes there must be some kind of hierarchy in place, that make Ten take the charge in that kind of situation, but honestly… Johnny doesn’t find him fit for this position.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- What now? - as all of them gather around in a small room, Ten focuses his attention back on Taeil.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Exactly my point.</span>
  </em>
  <span> - Johnny thinks. - </span>
  <em>
    <span>Just let anyone else do the job…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>All five of them barely fit in the small, poorly light room. In the center Johnny can see weird cone-shaped machine, consisting of different components, that Taeil approaches. He reaches for the bag and pulls out a surprisingly large disk, he then inserts in one of the suddenly opened slots.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- Now we talk to her. - as Taeil says this words, lights dim even more, leaving them in a complete darkness. </span>
  <em>
    <span>So this caused the blackout earlier.</span>
  </em>
  <span> It feels like years ago to Johnny, but it probably was less than an hour. Lights slowly come back with a silent buzzing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- So…? - Ten asks looking around. Before anyone can answer him, a voice from beyond responds.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>- So you decided to come back. </b>
</p><p>
  <span>What’s surprising is not, that the voice seems to come from the undefined place, surrounding them from every possible angle - it just adds to the creepiness of it. Because this voice belongs a little girl and it fucking freaks Johnny out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- We want to know… - Taeil tries, but trails off after catching Ten’s gaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- We want to know what the hell happened here. - Ten finishes Taeil’s words.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>- Which part exactly?</b>
  <span> - AI inquiries. - </span>
  <b>How you ignored my warning and treated the alert like an invitation to burst in to the Hive? Or how you - again - ignored my efforts to keep you out and instead turn off the power, realising infected in the process?</b>
</p><p><em><span>Oh god, not the sassy program.</span></em> <em><span>We had enough of that in a human form.</span></em></p><p>
  <span>- Infected? - Taeil repeats waekly.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>- Yes.</b>
  <span> - Red Queen responds. - </span>
  <b>Your little blackout caused all of the blockades and protection barriers to drop. The one I set up to stop infected from getting out, just in case, someone would be mindless enough to enter the Hive again.</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Ten only snorts at that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- It’s not mindless, those are the procedures in place and you should know that. And don’t avoid the question. What happened to those…  - he gestures vaguely in the direction of the exit. - Infected? Infected with what exactly?</span>
</p><p>
  <b>- I don’t know what were you led to believe, but the signal I send, </b>
  <b>
    <em>clearly</em>
  </b>
  <b> indicated biohazard. No one should be here.</b>
  <span> - girl’s voice insisted. - </span>
  <b>And regarding the infected… Well, you saw the effects with your own eyes, didn’t you? That’s what T-virus does to people. I can’t let it spread.</b>
</p><p>
  <span>- Wait, wait. - Taeil interjects. - One thing at the time. What is… T-virus?</span>
</p><p>
  <b>- It’s an effect of the Umbella’s military experiments.</b>
  <span> - AI simply answers. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sure, no big deal.</span>
  </em>
  <span> - </span>
  <b>At first it was created to mutate its hosts; they would become physically stronger and remain alive despite organ failures and severe brain damage. Perfect soldiers. But the experiment, didn’t go as planned. It kept contaminated alive and stronger, of course, but the cost of other desires growing stronger as well. Stronger aggressive behaviours, obsessive desires - especially hunger. By the time virus fully kicks in, hunger became so unbearable, that it lead to the state of cannibalism in infected.</b>
  <span> - Doyoung gasps and Ten visibly stiffs. Things start to come together. - </span>
  <b>And on the top of that it’s incredibly contagious. Any bite or scratch from the infected will transfer the virus onto you.</b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span> Silence falls upon them as all eyes land on Ten. Johnny takes a closer look at him. He seems paler the before, dark circles under his eyes. Under scrutiny of everyone’s gaze he lifts his bandaged hand to his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>- Symptoms don’t necessary show at first.</b>
  <span> - the voice continuous. - </span>
  <b>It varies from person to person. Some take longer. Some transform quickly. It’s usually faster when they’re dead.</b>
</p><p>
  <span>- Great. - Ten’s voice is weak, like never before. - So you killed all of them?</span>
</p><p>
  <b>- I had no choice.</b>
  <span> - another terrifying answer delivered in a simple, emotionless way. - </span>
  <b>The virus got into the air vents. It infected everyone in the Hive and I couldn’t let the out.</b>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Taeil is the first one to get out of the state of shock.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- So... that’s why you tried to stop us?</span>
</p><p>
  <b>- I can’t let the virus to get out.</b>
  
</p><p>
  <span>- So you won’t let us out?</span>
</p><p>
  <b>- No one can get out.</b>
</p><p>
  <span>- Does it mean, there’s no other way out? - He continues to ask. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s only silence in response. Also, Johnny starts to grow concerned at the small smile growing on Taeil’s face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>- What would you say if we made a deal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone looks in confusion at Taeil. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What on earth he can offer in this situation?</span>
  </em>
  <span> But what's even more shocking for Johnny and others, is how the Red Queen responds.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>- I’m listening.</b>
</p>
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